Rich Parsons said:
Any new posts about striking or or the terms used?
I realize this is an old thread brought back to life and many you may already and gotten answers to some of the questions posed.
Some one asked about Pekiti's Abcedario and a bit earlier Numerado, and Alphabeto were also asked about within the different systems.
When we delve into the different training systems and what the different Forms or striking patterns present or teach I believe one needs to look at not only what was taught but when was it taught, to whom was it taught to understand why it was presented in the manner it was done. We often see within the system variations of material being presented at different times by the same instructor or different instructors and wonder why the variations. Some of the questions I ask: is it stick based, is it blade based, is it spear based, is it sibat, is it empty hand based, is it a previously trained person, or could it be for a very young person not ready for actual combat training, was it a general overview of the method, or ...? Over the years as I have learned more about myself when reviewing old material I will see much more than what I had seen previously.
The Abcedario in Pekiti was taught to the young men 9-12 years olds after learning footwork, Tuhon Gaje states he only did footwork from the ages 6-9. All of his training was in a family environment where he actually had no choice in the matter. His grandfather would place him on a table where he would do his footwork patterns while granddad tried to strike his feet with a switch. These days who of us would train with someone doing the same material over and over every day for three years? Once he started upon the Abcedario he spent a couple of years only on that. Imagine working only the angle 1 strikes everyday for a month before moving onto angle 2.
Today the Abcedario Pekiti style teaches the Basic angles of weapon movement, Basic body angles and stepping with ranging utilizing the basic footwork patterns, Basic target acquirization and striking. There are 12 sets of 12 resulting in 144 movements. The key to understanding here is that this is Pekiti-Tirsia BASIC. Within the 144 are how to hold and move the weapon, horizontal, vertical, diagonal, and thrusting strikes with a stick and a blade with a major emphasis on the blade. What parts of the weapon are used for striking and how to strike the target with the different parts of the weapon. All of these will segue into the different weapon categories. Solo, Doble, Espada ya daga, Daga, De Mano.
There are Broken strikes (from point of beginning the strike stopping the weapon at the point of contact and returning to the point of beginning).
Flow through strikes (From point of beginning striking through the target and continuing on to the opposite side of the body)
Circular strikes (like a flow through but weapon doesn't stop on the opposite side, it continues circling around the head and follows up with a repeat of the strike).
Live hand or third hand strikes
Once the angles and targets are known then the student is drilled on striking the 144 against the 144. I.e. #1vs1, 1vs2, 1vs3, and continuing until they have worked each of the 144 vs all of the 144 movements. This is done using angling, ranging, all while using the live hand for passing, checking, and or jamming. The weapon movement is used with Broken, Flow through and Circular strikes The idea here is to be able to strike any angle or target from any angle or target moving from largo thru medio into corto and back to largo. Pekiti's Abcedario isn't just a numbering of patterns but a comprehensive aspect of the beginner's basic training utilizing all ranges and weapon categories and strike combinations.
Set 1. The Basic set
1. Forehand Horizontal Left Ear
2. Backhand Horizontal Rt Ear
3. Forehand Horizontal Left Ribs or elbow
4. Backhand Horizontal Rt Ribs or elbow
5. Forehand Thrust to over opposite shoulder Prostate Gland
6. Backhand Diagonal down or Vertical down Rt Clavicle to either rt or left toe
7. Forehand Horizontal Left or Rt knee (whichever is foreward)
8. Backhand Thrust Solar plexus
9. Forehand Thrust Heart
10. Vertical Down (both hands on weapon Crown of head to toe
dropping into a squat)
11. Double grip thrust Bridge of the nose
12. Forehand Thrust and live hand strike Thrust to bridge of nose w/live hand to groin
Set 2. Reverse set
Set 3. Double Force
Set 4. Reversed Double Force
Set 5. Reverse Grip
Set 6. Reverse Reverse Grip
Set 7. Punyo
Set 8. Reverse Punyo
Set 9. Hooking
Set 10. Reverse Hooking
Set 11. Bayonet (derived from spear and utilized for todays use of rifles)
Set 12. Reverse Bayonet
Each set has its own nuance and all sets integrate with each other
Numerado is using the numbers as strike patterns. I.e. writing numbers across your opponent with your weapon. Alphabeto is the same using the alphabet.
Hope this is helpful
Danny
)
